Exercising-machine.



No. 740,443. PATENTED' OCT. 6, 190a.

J. a. KORTH,

EXERGISING MACHINE.

1 APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 1. 1901. R0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J a! d i 17 j I? i? NVENTO -BY I v ms ATTORNEYS WITNESSES (PATENTED OCT.s, 1903."

J. c. KORTH. EXERGISING MACHINE.

APPLIOAIION-PILBD AUG. 7. 1901.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

, BY J I H15 ATTORNEYS "m: amass Pnzns c0. PHQTQ-LITHO WASHINGTON. 04 aUNITED STATES iatented October 6, i903 PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN CHARLES KORTH, OF HARRISON, NEW YORK.

EXERCISlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Lettrs'latent No. 740,443, dated October6, 1903.

Application filed August 7, 1901. Serial No. 71,140. No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN CHARLES KORTH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Harrison, in the county of Westchester and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful ImprovementsinExercising-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to exercisers or exercising-machines; and itsobjects are to improve upon the construction of such machines and afiordgreater facility for dilferent kinds of exercises with one machine.

f Further objects of my invention will hereinafter appear; and to theseends my invention consists in an exerciser for carrying out the aboveobjects constructed and arranged and having the general mode ofoperation substantially as hereinafter fully described in thisspecification and shown in the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure'l is a view in elevation of therear of an exerciser or an exercising-machine embodying my invention andshowing in dotted lines a modified form of handle. Fig. 2 is a detailview, partly in section, of a form of detachable coupling 'embodiedin myinvention. Fig. 3 is a detail view, partly in section, which is taken onthe line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail view showing a modified formof exerciser, which may be made from parts of the exerciser orexercisingmachine shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a View showing a modifiedform of compressible handle. Fig. 6 is a viewshowing a modified form ofsupport. Fig. 7 is a detail view of parts of Fig. 5.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all of theforms.

A A represent two inelastic cords, though there may be only one suchcord. One end of each cord is connected to a support a and the other endof each cord is connected to an elastic cord A Compressible handles 0are connected to the other ends of the elastic cords A The inelasticcords A A intermediate their ends are passed about pulleys a Q The upperpulleys a are suspended from the support a, and the lower pulleys aredetachably connected to main elastic'cords A The lower ends of the mainelastic cords A are connected to a. support or supports B.

I The support a is here shown as consisting of wire, which is bent tohave a suspending eye a and two other circular eyes a a the former beingfor the pulleys and the latter two eyes for the ends of the inelasticcords. Instead of this form of support the form of support 13 (shown inFig. 6) may be employed. In this form the eyesa" a are omitted and theends of-the wire joined together and one end provided with an eye b, towhich the ends of the inelastic cords may be connected. This form ofsupport also permits of a single inelastic cord being used instead oftwo inelastic cords A A. If a single inelastic cord is used, it issecured at its middle either to the eye 19 or to the two end portions b22 The end portions of the single cord are then passed around thepulleys a a, as shown in Fig. 1.

In making the connection between the cords A A A A and handles or gripsC detachable couplingsD in the form of snap-hooksare used. A preferableform of coupling'is illustrated in Fig. 2. As here shown, this couplingconsists of a wire one end portion of which is wound in a spiral d tosecure it to the end of an elastic or inelastic cord. The other end ofthe wire is bent to form a hook d, and working on the end of the hook isa cylindrical-cap (:3 which is pressed against the spiral portion at bya spring 01 Thus a closed eye is provided which will prevent any of theparts being accidentally disconnected from one another. In makingconnections between the several parts of the exerciser orexercising-machine a ring (1 may be employed, or eyes may be providedwith which the couplings D may be connected. I preferably provide a ringd between the couplings D of the inelastic cords A A and the elasticcords A To one of the rings (1 I secure a detachable coupling d, which,as here shown, consists of a hook. This coupling 01 is for the purposeof connecting thetwo rings 01*. This serves as a connection between theends of the two elastic cords A farthest away from the handles, so as toprovide for exercises which will involve the stretching of these elasticcords at an angle to or in line with each other. The detachablecouplings also permit of various changes being made in the grip c, towhich the ends of the stirrup are detachably connected. The stirrup maybe provided with a single eye a or with a plurality of eyes 0 as shownin dotted lines, Fig. 1, and full lines, Fig. 4. In case of providingthe handles 0 with a plurality of eyes the elastic cords .A A may bedisconnected from theother parts of the exerciser and connected to thetwo handles, as shown in Fig. 4. I preferably employ in connection witheach handle 0 a compressible part 0 in the form of a hand-piece or grip.The two handpieces or grips c O are capable of rotating as a wholerelatively to the stirrup. This provides for a wrist-exerciser orgrip-developer which can be used in connection with the exerciser whenthe arm or hand isin any position. In the use of such a handle inconnection with the machine of Fig. 1 the grip C may be left free andthe handle used in the ordinary manner. The two grips c 0 may beconnected with each other by a wire 0 the ends of which are inserted inthe two grips c O and which is provided intermediate its ends with aspring-hinge in the form of a coil 0 having a tendency to separate thetwo grips c C away from each other. As will be seen from Figs. 1 and 3,the ends of the stirrup 0 may be disconnected from the grip 0'. One endof the grip is recessed to receive an end of the stirrup, and the otherend of the stirrup may he provided with a yielding hook c to receive andsupport an end of the wire 0 which passes through. said hook and isinserted to agreater or less extent into the other end of the grip c, asshown in Fig. 3. This permits of the two grips c 0 being disconnectedfrom the stirrup and used independently, or, if desired, the stirrup 0may be disconnected from the elastic cord A and the two grips c 0 usedindependently. Since the Wire 0 may be inserted into the grip c to agreater or less extent, greater or less leverage may be obtained incompressing the grips O 0' together.'

Instead of the form of handle shown in Fig. 1 being used the handle E(shown in Fig. 5) may be substituted. In this form of handle a ]-bailpart 6, to which the ends of the stirrup are connected, (see Fig. 7,) iscarried by the grip c. The grip C is provided with eyes 6 at its ends,which eyes carry sleeves 6 through which the ends of the bail part cextend. Springs .6 are provided between the collars e and the collars e,which are fixed on the part c. This form of handle may be usedindependently of the exercising-machine.

It is obvious that various modifications and slight changes may be madewithout departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as my invention is v 1. An elastic hand-grip for anexerciser comprising a stirrup, a rotatable grip forming part thereof, asecond grip and a bent spring connecting one end of the grip with oneend of the handle, leaving the other end of the grip free, whereby saidgrip may be rotated relatively to the handle about an axis transverse toits length.

2. An elastic hand-grip for an exerciser comprising a stirrup having arotatable grip forming part thereof, a second grip and a bent springconnecting one of the ends of both of the grips, whereby both grips maybe used together as an elastic hand-grip, or the rotatable stirrup-gripbe used independently.

3. An elastic hand-grip for an exerciser, comprising a rotatable grip,forming part thereof, a second grip and a bent spring connecting one endof the grip with one end of thehandle, leaving the other end of the gripfree, whereby said grip may be rotated relatively to the handle about anaxis transverse to its length.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN CHARLES KORTH.

Witnesses:

JOSEPH P. MOELDUFF, GEO. E. ORUsE.

